A local farm in Munro Township has been earned state recognition for implementing appropriate pollution prevention practices.

Clay Ridge Farm, located on Bonnett Road, has become a verified farm in the Farmstead System through the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program.

The program assists farmers to comply with state and federal environmental regulations and with Right to Farm practices. In this case, technical assistance was provided by Chris Anderson of the Charlevoix Conservation District.

“I am pleased to announce that Clay Ridge Farm has taken the steps necessary to become an environmentally verified operation,” said Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Jamie Clover Adams. “Michigan is leading the way nationwide in effective stewardship practices with the voluntary, incentive-based MAEAP program. This continued effort shows agricultural producers long-term commitment to protecting the environment while maintaining economic success.”

The Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program is a collaborative effort of farmers, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Michigan Farm Bureau, commodity organizations, universities, conservation districts, conservation and environmental groups and state and federal agencies. More than 100 local coordinators and technical service providers are available to assist farmers as the move through the process toward program verification.

“An average of 5,000 Michigan farmers attend educational programs annually; 10,000 Michigan farms have started the verification process; and more than 1,100 farms have been verified to date,” Adams said.

To become verified, farmers must complete three comprehensive steps which include attending an educational seminar, conducting a thorough on-farm risk assessment and developing and implementing an action plan addressing potential environmental risks.

An on-farm inspection by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is conducted to verify program requirements related to applicable state and federal environmental regulations, Michigan Right to Farm guidelines and adherence to an action plan. When completed, the farmer receives a certificate of environmental assurance.

“To remain a MAEAP verified farm, inspections must be conducted every three years and action steps must be followed,” Adams said.

The multi-year program allows producers to meet personal objectives while best managing both time and resources. It encompasses three systems designed to help producers evaluate the environmental risks of their operation; each system ― which include livestock, farmstead and cropping ― examines a different aspect of a farm, as each has a different environmental impact. By participating in all three system, producers can comprehensively evaluate their entire farming operation for potential environmental risks.

Gov. Rick Snyder signed bills in March of 2011 to codify the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program into law.

Clay Ridge Farm is owned and operated by Matthew and Susan Bonnett. According to the Little Traverse Conservancy, the Bonnetts operated a dairy farm before switching over to raise beef cattle and dairy replacement heifers.